Lisbellaw storm into Ulster final in impressive style

A scintillating second half display from Lisbellaw saw them book their place in the Ulster Club Intermediate Hurling Championship Final.

With nothing to separate the sides at half time, it was the Fermanagh champions who came out in determined fashion for the second half and they simply blew away their Tyrone counterparts, Eire Óg, Carrickmore.

Brilliance and ferocity

It was 30 minutes in which the brilliance of some of the scores was matched by the ferocity of some of the defending as players at both ends of the pitch played their part in securing a final spot.

1-06 in the third quarter to Carrickmore’s sole score gave Lisbellaw a lead they would not relinquish and while the Carmen outfit did try and manufacture some goal chances they were spurned by some brilliant defending, while they also had a penalty well saved by Mark Curry in the ‘Law goal.

The Tyrone champions settled the better of the sides during scrappy opening exchanges.

Two frees in as minutes from distance, converted by centre back Dermot Begley started the scoring however, Lisbellaw responded with two frees of their own from John Duffy as the nippy Tom Keenan was proving a handful.

Lisbellaw moved into the lead on nine minutes when Ciaran Corrigan hit a super score off his right to before some pressure from Lisbellaw saw them turnover the sliotar and Duffy was there to make it 0-04 to 0-02.

Begley knocked over a ‘65 but this was cancelled out by the impressive Sean Corrigan, who was played in by Ciaran Corrigan to make it 0-05 to 0-03 at the water break.

The break was to the advantage of Eire Óg who put there best spell of pressure on Lisbellaw on the resumption of play.

Darragh Grogan hit a lovely score from out on the right and this was followed by a Bryan McGurk score to level matters.

Ramped up

The physicality also ramped up in this period with some big hits going in.

Carrickmore did have a goal chance but the effort hit the side netting.

The sides traded the last few scores of the half as points from Sean Corrigan (2) were cancelled out by Justin Kelly and McGurk as the half ended 0-07 apiece.

Whatever was said at half time had the desired effect on Lisbellaw as they came out and blew the Eire Óg challenge out of the water.

Almost immediately Keenan had a goal chance which was blocked out for a ‘65 which Duffy converted.

The resultant puck out was won by Sean Corrigan who pointed to make it a two point game.

The next attack was Eire Óg’s with a shot dropping short but Curry’s tap down in the Lisbellaw net put him under pressure before Conor McShea came out with the sliotar.

And Keenan was to get on the end of the move to increase Lisbellaw’s lead.

Lisbellaw’s ability to win Carrickmore puck outs was seen again straight after which lead to Ciaran Corrigan being played in and he fired past Conor McElhatton to make it 1-10 to 0-07.

Duffy knocked over a free before Eire Óg did have a sight of goal but a great challenge saw Lisbellaw come away with the ball.

Another attack by Carrickmore saw Sean Óg Grogan dragged down for a penalty but Begley fired straight a Curry before the sliotar was hacked away.

Ciaran Corrigan hit a great score from distance after good Lisbellaw pressure and it was on 45 minutes that Eire Óg opened their second half account through a Begley ‘65 but this was cancelled out by a Sean Corrigan point from play from 65 metres out to leave it 1-13 to 0-08 at the second water break.

The final quarter saw Lisbellaw consolidate while their defence made sure Carrickmore would not get the goal they desperately needed.

Any time Carrickmore threatened, Rory Porteous, Aidan Flanagan, Andrew Breslin and others were on hand to put their bodies on the line.

Daniel Teague fired over a long range free before Sean Corrigan struck off the left to make it a 10 point game, 1-15 to 0-08.

A Carrickmore free dropped dangerously short but it was deflected out for a ‘65 which nothing came out of.

Sean Corrigan then hit his sixth of the day and this was followed by a fine Keenan score who drove at his man before popping over.

Eire Óg did add two scores late on but they were mere consolations as Lisbellaw emphatically booked their place in the Ulster Final where they will take on Bannagher of Derry.